Posts Tagged ‘Seven Days of Creation’

Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.

– Ecclesiastes 12:13

Part I. Moses, a Scientific Genius 3,000 Years ahead of His time

For many of today’s intellectuals, modern science, most especially Darwinism, has led them to conclude that the Judeo-Christian tradition is not only an out-dated concept, but a primitive superstition which may even prove to be incompatible with modern, secular society. What nearly everyone seems to have overlooked is the sheer ancient scientific genius that can be clearly seen in the first chapter of Genesis. In just a few short verses, this particular text mentions the Big Bang, the stellar evolution of the universe, the general geophysics of Earth formation, and the exact sequence of biological evolution as seen on this planet. In other words, secular intellectuals must admit that the Genesis account of Creation, what they usually dismiss as mythological is closer to the modern scientific understanding of the natural world than any other rival Creation legend. As one scientifically-minded Judeo-Christian believer puts it:

The ancient Bible (including Genesis 1) was written, around 3,300 years ago, as it is understood today. Only in the past two hundred years has science started to be capable of recognizing the (apparently) correct scientific sequence of those events. And they have turned out to be REMARKABLY similar.

– Genesis and Science ARE Compatible!

Seen carefully, the real question that remains unanswered is how the orphan son of a lowly Israelite mother named Moses, who was raised and educated by the Pharaoh’s daughter, ever became so enlightened and informed about how the sun and the stars, along with Earth and all its life-forms ever came into existence. Since the time that Moses was still living in ancient Egypt, around 1,300-1,500 B.C., modern scholars have now determined that, in general, Egyptian civilization never really developed any actual scientific knowledge at all, except their exceptional building skills and clever agricultural know-how. Egyptian hieroglyphics, as deciphered by modern experts, reveal that the society Moses was brought up in was woefully ignorant about the skies above them and the wild-life that surrounded them. In short, ancient Egypt was a polytheistic, superstitious, slave-based kingdom completely ignorant of astrophysics, biological evolution, and nearly any other scientific field of study. On the other hand, the Book of Genesis is either an indication of supreme intelligence or one of the luckiest guesses about the sequence of evolution ever known in the history of the world.

In stark contrast to the mental nonsense of ancient Egypt, the first chapter of Genesis written by Moses is like that of a well-informed modern scientist deliberately writing a semi-legendary account of Creation and clearly intending it for the common man of Israel to understand. Back then most people were illiterate, completely ignorant, and basically frightened of the unknown, which included the skies above them and the wild animals who lurked at the edges of Egyptian society. Obviously the author set out to write a short, fact-based account of the world’s primordial origins which would both educate and inspire the common people, as well as the readers that came after him, yet remain absolutely valid metaphorically. Seen carefully, the story of Genesis is like an incredibly poetic saga of a wise and merciful sorcerer or wizard who looks deeply into a dark, magic cauldron and then casts His spells through His thunderous words, thus causing the universe to be magically brought in existence.

Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.

– Genesis 1:1-2

Even so, this fun and entertaining folk-tale of a seven-day ritual of great power and magic also remains completely embedded with scientific facts, which were probably meant to be taught centuries later when the simple minds of the ancient, gullible listeners were better able to understand them. One must remember that the precise details of the Darwinian theory of evolution can only be grasped by well-educated thinkers fully versed in physics, mathematics, chemistry, and biology. Remember, not a single one of the ancient Israelites whom Moses was addressing knew anything about the molecular structure of DNA or the mathematical concept of random chance or probability. Not only that, there is also the spiritual issue of man’s special relationship to God, the mysterious entity who hides behind the curtain of material reality. A primitive mind could easily misinterpret the Darwinian model of history and then wrongly assume that their beloved pet dog, cat, or monkey, is just as worthwhile as their fellow human beings who have been blessed by God to rule the animals, not deify them as the ancient Egyptians did. The gods they worshipped were seen as humans with various animal heads placed upon them, an absurd impossibility. This was not the case with the God of Moses and his fellow Israelites, whom they had oppressed and enslaved.

So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them, male and female he created them.

– Genesis 1:27

Genesis clearly reiterates the obvious truth of the real world that the Biblical God’s last, ultimate creation known as men and women must, like good brothers and sisters, look after each other first and foremost, because none of the other animals will ever feed, clothe, or truly love their rulers known as man. They don’t know how. Rather than the violent chaos of Darwinian ‘survival of the fittest’, Genesis depicts a God that, in turn, rules benevolently over mankind. The account written by Moses is also followed by a repeated emphasis that all men must try to obey their Creator’s instinctive commandments against theft, murder, adultery, and lying, concepts that other life-forms clearly don’t and may never comprehend. Modern evolutionary scientists know quite well that mankind is far superior, and completely different, than any other animals, including the apes and gorillas which came long before God endowed Adam with a hand-made immortal soul. These moral and ethical lessons are basically what the Judeo-Christian Creation story is clearly intended to proclaim, not the exact number of eons involved in stellar evolution, or the evolutionary reason behind the horns of goats and sheep..

Evolution contradicts a literalistic interpretation of Genesis. However, according to Roman Catholicism and most contemporary Protestant Churches, biblical literalism in the creation account is not mandatory. Christians have considered allegorical interpretations of Genesis since long before the development of Darwin’s theory of evolution.

– Theistic Evolution, Wikipedia

Put bluntly, modern man knows quite well that most of the stars and planets which came into being originated billions of years ago, while biological life slowly developed over the course of hundreds of millions of years. However, primitive man had absolutely no clue how any thing had been created. Most were too busy working hard to survive and feed their families to ever really question the material world that surrounded. Thus, to cater to all the ancient Israelites, Moses probably chose to keep the Creation account short and simple for the sake of his primitive audience, most of whom could not even count up to ten. However, the factual and scientific sequence of Earth’s formation and the evolution of life on this planet can still be clearly seen in his Creation ‘story’.

Theistic evolutionists argue that it is inappropriate to use Genesis as a scientific text, since it was written in a pre-scientific age and originally intended for religious instruction; as such, seemingly chronological aspects of the creation accounts should be thought of in terms of a literary framework.

– Theistic Evolution, Wikipedia

What does emerge from the Genesis text is a concise understanding concerning the sequence of events leading up to the present solar system (Astrophysics) along with an implied knowledge that carefully classifies life-forms into scientifically-based categories like plants or animals, birds or insects, fish or mammals, and even carnivores and herbivores (Zoology). Not only that, but the seven-day period of Creation shows an absolutely unmistakable background knowledge of the correct sequence of Darwinian evolution (Biology). Remember, this account was written more than 3,000 years ago in a culture that sincerely worshipped the sun (a hot ball of gas) and moon (a freezing cold desert rock) as supernatural gods who ruled over them.

There are very few instances where the Bible and science stand face-to-face regarding established facts. The most prominent of these is the story of Creation in Genesis.

– Genesis and Science ARE Compatible!

Once again, Moses shows a highly advanced, basically unheard of, theological outlook (Universal Monotheism) which clearly believes the one, true God created all material reality from nothing at all, except his own Divine will-power (Judeo-Christian-Islam). Where did Moses ever learn these incredibly complex and scientifically-based doctrines, thousands of years before anyone else even came close to understanding them? There is no way he was taught these things from the ancient Egyptians who were basically ignorant, primitive Pagans who left behind no scholarly or scientific writings, with the sole exception of absurd, nonsensical legends concerning many different gods, such as the Egyptian book of the dead.

The story in Genesis 1 of the Bible, about the beginning of everything, is fully compatible with modern science. It actually even PROVES that modern science is on the right track! And modern science has CONFIRMED that Genesis presents the proper sequence of events!

– Genesis and Science ARE Compatible!

Today’s arrogant skeptics and agnostic, or even atheist, scientists love to point a finger at the God-fearing Christians who insist the world was created by God in just seven days. Historically speaking, the most literate Judeo-Christian believers of the past never truly believed in the seven day mega-miracle of Genesis. In reality, both Christians, and the Jews before them, have nearly always understood that the seven day time period was allegorical, like a child’s educational story, and that the real world actually took much longer to form. As one source describes:

Evolution contradicts a literalistic interpretation of Genesis. However, according to Roman Catholicism and most contemporary Protestant Churches, biblical literalism in the creation account is not mandatory. Christians have considered allegorical interpretations of Genesis since long before the development of Darwin’s theory of evolution.

– Theistic Evolution, Wikipedia

Although some Pagan Creation myths are quite poetic and meaningful, the fact remains that not a single ancient Creation story ever truly address the material world’s origins in a scientific manner, with the sole exception of the Book of Genesis. Nearly every one of them is an obvious fairy tale composed of non-existent monsters, heroes and villains, while some of them also include grotesque imagery and even blatant sexual perversion as an integral part of biological life’s creation. Indeed, they all seem to be fictional and childish renditions of numerous rival ‘gods’ who fight and smite each other like criminals on the loose, occasionally looking down upon mankind as worthless inferiors solely created for their amusement, and who were destined to be ruled by them due to their ‘Divine’ right of authority. This is far different than Genesis which depicts a singular, all-powerful, all-knowing peaceful God with His Angels silently and obediently waiting patiently for their Creator to complete His creation of the material universe. Instead of laughing or mocking mankind, the God of Genesis blesses them and their fellow life-forms, the fish and the birds, thus making a concise distinction between life (living beings like plants, animals, and man) and death (inanimate objects like air, water, fire, and earth).

With this approach toward evolution, scriptural creation stories are typically interpreted as being allegorical in nature. Both Jews and Christians have considered the idea of the creation history as an allegory (instead of a historical description) long before the development of Darwin’s theory. An example in Christianity would be the earlier writings by St. Augustine (4th century)…Three noted Jewish examples are that of the writings of Philo of Alexandria (1st century), Maimonides (12th century) and Gersonides (13th century).

– Theistic Evolution, Wikipedia

Much unlike the rival Greco-Roman religion, which was eventually toppled by Christianity, the Hebrew God in Genesis does not bless the sun (Apollo), the moon (Diane), the planets (Mercury, Venus, Mars, and Jupiter) at all. Tellingly, He only blesses the biological life-forms He has created. His blessing also includes a totally accurate prediction that mankind is destined to fill the earth with many different descendants and are intended to rule the lesser animals responsibly and wisely, just as He rules over man, His last and most God-like creation. What follows is a comparison between the Genesis Creation story and modern scientific fact which clearly shows the unbelievable, nearly miraculous, similarities between the two accounts:

RELIGION: In the beginning God created the Heavens and the Earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.(Genesis 1:1-2)
SCIENCE: Modern Physics state that, before the Big Bang, reality was nothing than a singular point of darkness which had near infinite density and mass that eventually exploded, thus creating the known universe.

RELIGION: And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. God saw that the light was good, and He separated the light from the darkness. God called the light “day,” and the darkness he called “night.” And there was evening, and there was morning- the first day.(Genesis 1:3-5)
SCIENCE: Modern Astrophysics now claim that the material universe started with a massive explosion of light and heat that filled the entire universe. (God said, ‘Let there be light,’ and there was light). Over time, the light and energy subsided and either collapsed into stars or planets (God saw that the light was good) which continued to moved outwards in all directions (He separated the light from the darkness) and away from the initial Big Bang’s location. This continued expansion created more and more dark space (darkness), nearly void of all energy, in between all the steadily increasing number of stars and planets (light). Planets began to revolve around larger stars called suns which then rotated upon their axis, thus causing periodic intervals of light (God called the light ‘day’) and darkness (the darkness he called ‘night’).

RELIGION: God said, ‘Let there be a vault between the waters to separate the waters below from the waters above.’ So God made the vault and separated the waters under the vault from the waters above it. And it was so. God called the vault ‘sky.’ And there was evening, and there was morning—the second day. (Genesis 1:6-8)
SCIENCE: Modern Meteorology and Geophysics contends that when Earth first began to form, a large amount of water was repeatedly lost into outer space (waters above the vault) as steam was constantly being spewed upward from the hot, unstable lava flows on the planet’s surface (separated the waters under the vault from the water above it). This process (separated the waters) continued until a viable atmosphere (a vault), which could retain all the water vapor rising upwards, eventually formed and became the blue sky (God called the vault ‘sky’). Then, because of all the steam being released from the depths of the earth (waters below) by volcanoes, a thick layer of clouds (waters above) finally covered the whole planet. This process occurred repeatedly over the course of hundreds of millions of years (separated the waters under the vault from the waters above it). Finally, all the water once released upwards as steam then finally became trapped underground indefinitely (waters below). This additional water (waters below) has remained there as volcanic activity has slowly subsided. Nonetheless, oceans (water under the vault) have continued to condensate and rise upward to form clouds (water above it) which then fall down again via the rain and snow called precipitation.

RELIGION: And God said, “Let the water under the sky be gathered to one place, and let dry ground appear.” And it was so. God called the dry ground “land,” and the gathered waters he called “seas.” And God saw that it was good. (Genesis 1:9-10)
SCIENCE: Modern Geology states that, at first, earth became a seething mass of lava (water) that began cooling into solid rock (dry ground). In time, the steam from tons upon tons of water trapped below ground caused torrential rains (gathered waters) which covered the earth (dry ground) with oceans. Because of all the initial violent volcanic activity on Earth’s surface, there was no permanent sea level or stable land mass to sustain life. Then a single mega-continent formed slowly, but permanently (the dry ground ‘land’) which was then completely surrounded by a gigantic single body of water (water…gathered to one place).

RELIGION: Then God said, ‘Let the land produce vegetation: seed-bearing plants and trees on the land that bear fruit with seed in it, according to their various kinds.’ And it was so. The land produced vegetation: plants bearing seed according to their kinds and trees bearing fruit with seed in it according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good. And there was evening, and there was morning- the third day. (Genesis 1:11-13)
SCIENCE: Modern Evolutionary Biology claims that, even though simple single-cell life-forms, may have first formed underwater, the first multi-cellular complex life-forms to appear on earth were plants and trees (Then God said, ‘Let the land produce vegetation: seed-bearing plants and trees on the land that bear fruit with seed in it, according to their various kinds’). Only during the past 2,000 years has man has confirmed scientifically that every distinct species of plants can only reproduce themselves. (The land produced vegetation: plants bearing seed according to their kinds). Before then, the vast majority of people gathered fruit, nuts, berries, etc, from the wild because they never figured out how to keep their seeds, plant them (plants bearing seed according to their kinds), and grow enough crops to avoid starvation. Even in ancient Egypt, the most advanced civilization on earth at the time, most, if not all, of the Egyptians and enslaved Israelites, never knew that the seeds found in fruit must be buried in order to reproduce themselves. The cultivation of fruit and nuts, called orcharding (trees bearing fruit with seed in it according to their kinds) happens to be a fairly recent, post-Moses, discovery (And God saw that it was good).

Isn’t that interesting? Composed around 3,300 years ago, Genesis had told us that plants came before any animals, and now science has proved why that was true, because of the animals’ need for oxygen that the plants first created. Science is not confronting Genesis, but supporting it!

– Genesis and Science ARE Compatible!

RELIGION: And God said, “Let there be lights in the vault of the sky to separate the day from the night, and let them serve as signs to mark sacred times, and days and years, 15 and let them be lights in the vault of the sky to give light on the earth.” And it was so. 16 God made two great lights—the greater light to govern the day and the lesser light to govern the night. He also made the stars. 17 God set them in the vault of the sky to give light on the earth, 18 to govern the day and the night, and to separate light from darkness. And God saw that it was good. 19 And there was evening, and there was morning—the fourth day. (Genesis 1:14-19)
SCIENCE: Modern Geophysics theorized that plant life on earth may have first appeared under a constant blanket of clouds that continued to obscure the stars and moon for millions of years, with the sun barely visible behind the dirty, ash-filled cloud cover. Indeed, this may well have been the case throughout the age of the dinosaurs and early mammals. For millions of years, primitive man had absolutely no sense of time or any idea about how to keep track of it. (God made two great lights-the greater light to govern the day and the lesser light to govern the night. He also made the stars. God set them in the vault of the sky to give light on the earth, to govern the day and the night, and to separate light from darkness). Besides for Mesopotamia (Abraham’s native civilization) Ancient Egypt was the only human society in the entire world (except East Asia) that had ever mapped the stars and actually realized their repetitive positions on a yearly schedule which corresponded to annual growing seasons for crops. Even so, only a miniscule number of elite magicians and ‘priests’ within Egypt had ever actually learned how to do this (God said, ‘Let there be lights in the vault of the sky to separate the day from the night, and let them serve as signs to mark sacred times, and days and years’). Most of man looked up and saw the lights as supernatural monsters or immortal gods ruling over them, not just inanimate, non-living lights that neither thought nor moved on their own (And God said, ‘Let there be lights in the vault of the sky to separate the day from the night’).

RELIGION: And God said, ‘Let the water teem with living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the vault of the sky.’ So God created the great creatures of the sea and every living thing with which the water teems and that moves about in it, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. God blessed them and said, ‘Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the water in the seas, and let the birds increase on the earth.’ And there was evening, and there was morning- the fifth day. (Genesis 1:20-23)
SCIENCE: Modern Biology is fairly confident that animal life first came into being in the oceans underwater. Dinosaurs came next and are said to be the early ancestors of all of today’s bird species (God blessed them and said, ‘Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the water in the seas, and let the birds increase on the earth’). Fish and Dinosaurs filled the entire planet long before the appearance of any mammal. Some of the ocean’s animal life-forms were absolutely huge, even larger than any land-based dinosaur (So God created the great creatures of the sea) and existed long before them as well.

RELIGION: And God said, ‘Let the land produce living creatures according to their kinds: the livestock, the creatures that move along the ground, and the wild animals, each according to its kind.’ And it was so. God made the wild animals according to their kinds, the livestock according to their kinds, and all the creatures that move along the ground according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good. (Genesis 1:24-25)
SCIENCE: Modern Zoology categorizes animals, all of whom bleed red blood, into distinct subgroups such herbivores (livestock), carnivores (wild animals) both of which are mammals, while distinguishing the birds and reptiles (creatures that move along the ground) as animals who are not, in fact, mammals (God said, ‘Let the land produce living creatures according to their kinds: the livestock, the creatures that move along the ground, and the wild animals, each according to its kind.’ And it was so). Evolutionary Biology is quite confident that warm-blooded mammals were the last type of animal to appear on earth long after plants, fish, and birds, or dinosaurs (God made the wild animals according to their kinds, the livestock according to their kinds, and all the creatures that move along the ground according to their kinds). While some rare individuals within ancient societies may have vaguely understood the modern theory of species, the vast majority had little idea that, for the most part, there are distinct species of animals that can only reproduce themselves through members of the exact same species. This includes very similar, nearly identical, types of species. Hawks cannot breed with eagles, cheetahs cannot breed with leopards, elk cannot breed with deer, and crocodiles with alligators (God made the wild animals according to their kinds, the livestock according to their kinds, and all the creatures that move along the ground according to their kinds). Moses, the author of Genesis, shows an incredible knowledge about scientifically-verifiable animal speciation, literally thousands of years before modern Zoology confirmed this reality (And God saw that it was good).

RELIGION: Then God said, ‘Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.’ So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. God blessed them and said to them, ‘Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.’ (Genesis 1:26-29)
SCIENCE: Modern biology is confident in their proclamation that man, the species called Homo Sapiens, was the last species to have ‘evolved’ on planet earth, long after every other life-form (So God created mankind in His own image, in the image of God He created them; male and female He created them). While nearly every member of primitive society knew about the existence of many types of animals, the vast majority feared them, sometimes for good reason, and had absolutely no idea that within centuries man would have domesticated vast flocks, herds, and different breeds of many types of animals (God blessed them and said to them…’Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground’). At the same time, none of them would have ever imagined the accuracy of God’s ancient recommendation (or prediction) to increase in population and colonize every corner of the earth, eventually establishing huge cities on every single continent and among every major culture in the world today. (God blessed them and said to them, ‘Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it). Man is unique is not knowing or identifying different individuals by smell (like an animal), but by looking at their facial features (our likeness) thus explaining the vast diversity of facial features found in every man, woman, and child (God said, ‘Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness). Molecular Biology has also discovered that male sperm contain exactly 50% male sperm (xy DNA) and 50% female sperm (xx DNA) (In the image of God he created them, male and female He created them).

Modern scientists need to stop being so instinctively anti-religion and open their minds to the poetic genius that Moses and his Book of Genesis can bring to today’s world once their arrogant ridicule and denial of the Judeo-Christian comes to an end. The ‘primitive’ scientific accuracy metaphorically hidden in the Genesis Creation legend remains completely unexplainable, even now, yet can be clearly seen in black and white for all to see.

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The Number Seven & God the Father

The SevenDays of Creation
I. God creates Light and separates the Light from the Darkness (Genesis 1:1-5)
II. God separates the Waters Above from the Waters Below and creates Heaven (Genesis 1:6-8)
III. God creates the Land, the Seas, and all the Plants (Genesis 1:9-13
IV. God creates the Sun (Day), the Moon (Night), and the Stars. (Genesis 1:14-19)
V. God creates all the Fish and the Birds (Genesis 1:20-23)
VI. God creates all the Animals, Insects, and then Mankind. (Genesis 1:24:31)
VII. God Rests (Genesis 2:1-4)

The SevenNoahide Laws
I. You will not commit idolatry.
II. You will not murder.
III. You will not steal.
IV. You will not commit sexual perversion.
V. You will not commit blasphemy.
VI. You will not eat the flesh of a living animal.
VII. You will establish courts to enforce these laws.TheSeven Colors of the Rainbow
I. Red
II. Orange
III. Yellow
IV. Green
V, Blue
VI. Indigo
VII. Purple

The Seven Duties of the Archangels
I. Uriel: Rules over the world and over Tartarus.
II. Raphael: Rules over the souls of men.
III. Raguel: Takes vengeance on the world of the luminaries.
IV. Michael: Rules over the best part of mankind and over chaos.
V. Saraqael: Rules over the ghost, who sin in the spirit.
VI. Gabriel: Rules over Paradise and the serpents and the Cherubim.
VII. Remiel: Rules over those who rise from the Dead. (Book of Enoch 20:1-8)

The Seven Evils God Hates
I. The haughty eyes
II. The lying tongue
III. The hands that shed innocent blood
IV. The heart that devises wicked plans
V. The feet that run rapidly to evil
VI. The false witness who utters lies
VII. The one who spreads strife among brothers. (Proverbs 6:16-19)

The Seven Holy Maccabee Martyrs
I. St. Abim
II. St. Antonius
III. St. Guriah
IV. St. Eleazar
V. St. Eusebon
VI. St. Alimus
VII. St. Marcellus

The Seven Essential Beliefs of the Apostles’ Creed
I. God, the Father
II. Joshua the Messiah (Jesus Christ), His only Son
III. The Holy Ghost
IV. The Holy Catholic Church
V. The Communion of Saints
VI. The forgiveness of sins,
VII. The resurrection of the body and life everlasting.

The Seven Catholic Letters of the Bible
I. James
II. Jude
III. First Peter
IV. Second Peter
V. First John
VI. Second John
VII. Third John

The Seven Joys of St. Mary
I. The Annunciation of Joshua
II. The Nativity of Joshua
III. The Gifts of the Three Wise Men
IV. The Resurrection of Joshua
V. The Ascension of Joshua
VI. The Pentecost, or Descent, of the Holy Ghost
VII. The Heavenly Coronation of MaryThe Seven Sorrows of St. Mary
I. The Prophecy about Joshua
II. The Exile of Joshua
III. The Disappearance of Joshua
IV. The Cross-bearing of Joshua
V. The Crucifixion of Joshua
VI. The Dead Body of Joshua
VII. The Burial of JoshuaThe Seven Joys of St. Joseph
I. The Message of the Angel (Matthew 1:20)
II. Jesus’ Birth itself (Luke 2:7)
III. The Holy Name of Jesus (Matthew 1:25)
IV. Simeon’s prophecy that many would rise (Luke 2:34)
V. The Overthrow of Idols (Isaiah 19:1)
VI. Life with Mary and Jesus (Luke 2:39)
VII. The Finding of Jesus in the Temple (Luke 2:46)

The Seven Sorrows of St. Joseph
I. The Doubt of Saint Joseph (Matthew 1:19)
II. The Poverty of Jesus’ birth (Luke 2:7)
III. The Circumcision (Luke 2:21)
IV. Simeon’s Prophecy that many would be lost (Luke 2:34)
V. The Flight into Egypt (Matthew 2:13-14)
VI. The Return from Egypt (Matthew 2:22)
VII. The Loss of the Child Jesus (Luke 2:45)

Joshua the Messiah (Jesus Christ) Appears to Seven DisciplesJesus manifested Himself again to (seven of) the disciples at the Sea of Tiberias, and He manifested Himself in this way. Simon Peter, and Thomas called Didymus, and Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, and the sons of Zebedee, and two others of His disciples were together. (John 21:1-2)The Seven Woes of Joshua the Messiah (Jesus Christ) from Matthew 23I. Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You shut the kingdom of heaven in men’s faces. You yourselves do not enter, nor will you let those enter who are trying to. (Matthew 23:13-14)II. Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You travel over land and sea to win a single convert, and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a son of hell as you are. (Matthew 23:15)III. Woe to you, blind guides! You say, ‘If anyone swears by the temple, it means nothing; but if anyone swears by the gold of the temple, he is bound by his oath.’ You blind fools! Which is greater: the gold, or the temple that makes the gold sacred? You also say, ‘If anyone swears by the altar, it means nothing; but if anyone swears by the gift on it, he is bound by his oath.’ You blind men! Which is greater: the gift, or the altar that makes the gift sacred? Therefore, he who swears by the altar swears by it and by everything on it. And he who swears by the temple swears by it and by the one who dwells in it. And he who swears by heaven swears by God’s throne and by the one who sits on it. (Matthew 23:16-22)IV. Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices-mint, dill and cummin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law-justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former. You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel. (Matthew 23:23-24)V. Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean. (Matthew 23:25-26)VI. Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside, but on the inside are full of dead men’s bones and everything unclean. In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness. (Matthew 23:27-28)VII. Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You build tombs for the prophets and decorate the graves of the righteous. And you say, ‘If we had lived in the days of our forefathers, we would not have taken part with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.’ So you testify against yourselves that you are the descendants of those who murdered the prophets. Fill up, then, the measure of the sin of your forefathers! (Matthew 23:29-31)7777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777

The Other SevensThe Seventh Hour Miracle
As he was now going down, his slaves met him, saying that his son was living. So he inquired of them the hour when he began to get better. Then they said to him, ‘Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him.’ So the father knew that it was at that hour in which Jesus said to him, ‘Your son lives’ and he himself believed and his whole household. (John 4:51-53)

The Village Seven Miles from Jerusalem
Peter got up and ran to the tomb. Stooping and looking in, he saw the linen wrappings only and he went away to his home, marveling at what had happened. And behold, two of them were going that very day to a village named Emmaus, which was about seven miles from Jerusalem. And they were talking with each other about all these things which had taken place. (Luke 24:12-14)The Old Prophetess Married for Seven Years
And there was a prophetess, Anna the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years and had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, and then as a widow to the age of eighty-four. She never left the temple, serving night and day with fastings and prayers. At that very moment she came up and began giving thanks to God, and continued to speak of Him to all those who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem. (Luke 2:36-38)

Seven, the Number of Forgiveness

Seven Times of Forgiveness
“Be on your guard! If your brother sins, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him. And if he sins against you seven times a day, and returns to you seven times, saying, ‘I repent,’ forgive him.” The apostles said to the Lord, ‘Increase our faith!’ (Luke 17:3-5)

Seven-Seven Times of Forgiveness
Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, ‘Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?’ Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.’ (Matthew 18:21-22)Mary, the Woman with Seven DemonsThe Woman Cured of Seven Demons Supports Joshua the Messiah (Jesus Christ)
Soon afterwards, He began going around from one city and village to another, proclaiming and preaching the kingdom of God. The twelve were with Him, and also some women who had been healed of evil spirits and sicknesses: Mary who was called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out, and Joanna the wife of Chuza, Herod’s steward, and Susanna, and many others who were contributing to their support out of their private means. (Luke 8:1-3)The Woman Cured of Seven Demons Encounters the Resurrected Joshua (Jesus)
They went out and fled from the tomb, for trembling and astonishment had gripped them; and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid. Now after He had risen early on the first day of the week, He first appeared to Mary Magdalene, from whom He had cast out seven demons. She went and reported to those who had been with Him, while they were mourning and weeping. (Mark 16:8-10)
The Miracle of Seven Loaves

Seven Loaves of Bread Feeds Four Thousand with Seven Baskets Left Over
His disciples answered Him, ‘Where will anyone be able to find enough bread here in this desolate place to satisfy these people?’ And He was asking them, ‘How many loaves do you have?’ And they said, ‘Seven.’ And He directed the people to sit down on the ground; and taking the seven loaves, He gave thanks and broke them, and started giving them to His disciples to serve to them, and they served them to the people. They also had a few small fish; and after He had blessed them, He ordered these to be served as well. And they ate and were satisfied; and they picked up seven large baskets full of what was left over of the broken pieces.About four thousand were there; and He sent them away. (Mark 8:4-9)

Joshua (Jesus) Questions the Apostles about the Seven Loaves
‘When I broke the seven loaves for the four thousand, how many large baskets full of broken pieces did you pick up?’ And they said to Him, ‘Seven.’ And He was saying to them, ‘Do you not yet understand?’ (Mark 8:20-21)Seven Loaves of Bread Feeds Four Thousand Followers (Matthew)
Jesus called His disciples to Him, and said, ‘I feel compassion for the people, because they have remained with Me now three days and have nothing to eat; and I do not want to send them away hungry, for they might faint on the way.’ The disciples said to Him, ‘Where would we get so many loaves in this desolate place to satisfy such a large crowd?’ And Jesus said to them, ‘How many loaves do you have?’ And they said, ‘Seven, and a few small fish.’ And He directed the people to sit down on the ground and He took the seven loaves and the fish; and giving thanks, He broke them and started giving them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people. And they all ate and were satisfied, and they picked up what was left over of the broken pieces, seven large baskets full. And those who ate were four thousand men, besides women and children. (Matthew 15:32-38)

Joshua (Jesus) Questions the Apostles about the Seven Loaves
‘Or the seven loaves of the four thousand, and how many large baskets full you picked up?’ (Matthew 16:10)

The Seven Demons of Lust

The Seven Demons of Nocturnal Emissions (Matthew)
Now when the unclean spirit goes out of a man, it passes through waterless places seeking rest, and does not find it. Then it says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came,’ and when it comes, it finds it unoccupied, swept, and put in order. Then it goes and takes along with it seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there; and the last state of that man becomes worse than the first. That is the way it will also be with this evil generation. (Matthew 12:43-45)

The Seven Demons of Nocturnal Emissions (Luke)
When the unclean spirit goes out of a man, it passes through waterless places seeking rest, and not finding any, it says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ And when it comes, it finds it swept and put in order.Then it goes and takes along seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they go in and live there; and the last state of that man becomes worse than the first.’ (Luke 11:24-26)The Question of Seven Husbands

The Wife of Seven Husbands (Mark)
Some Sadducees (who say that there is no resurrection) came to Jesus, and began questioning Him, saying, ‘Teacher, Moses wrote for us that IF A MAN’S BROTHER DIES and leaves behind a wife AND LEAVES NO CHILD, HIS BROTHER SHOULD MARRY THE WIFE AND RAISE UP CHILDREN TO HIS BROTHER. There were seven brothers; and the first took a wife, and died leaving no children. The second one married her, and died leaving behind no children; and the third likewise and so all seven left no children. Last of all the woman died also. In the resurrection, when they rise again, which one’s wife will she be? For all seven had married her.’ Jesus said to them, “Is this not the reason you are mistaken, that you do not understand the Scriptures or the power of God? For when they rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like Angels in Heaven. But regarding the fact that the dead rise again, have you not read in the book of Moses, in the passage about the burning bush, how God spoke to him, saying, ‘I AM THE GOD OF ABRAHAM, AND THE GOD OF ISAAC, and the God of Jacob?’ He is not the God of the dead, but of the living; you are greatly mistaken.” (Mark 12:18-27)The Wife of Seven Husbands (Luke)
Now there came to Him some of the Sadducees (who say that there is no resurrection), and they questioned Him, saying, ‘Teacher, Moses wrote for us that IF A MAN’S BROTHER DIES, having a wife, AND HE IS CHILDLESS, HIS BROTHER SHOULD MARRY THE WIFE AND RAISE UP CHILDREN TO HIS BROTHER. Now there were seven brothers, and the first took a wife and died childless, and the second and the third married her; and in the same way all seven died, leaving no children. Finally the woman died also. In the resurrection therefore, which one’s wife will she be? For all seven had married her.’ Jesus said to them, ‘The sons of this age marry and are given in marriage, but those who are considered worthy to attain to that age and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry nor are given in marriage, for they cannot even die anymore, because they are like angels, and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection. But that the dead are raised, even Moses showed, in the passage about the burning bush, where he calls the Lord THE GOD OF ABRAHAM, AND THE GOD OF ISAAC, AND THE GOD OF JACOB. Now He is not the God of the dead but of the living; for all live to Him.’ Some of the scribes answered and said, “‘Teacher, You have spoken well.’ (Luke 20:27-39)

The Wife of Seven Husbands (Matthew)
On that day some Sadducees (who say there is no resurrection) came to Jesus and questioned Him, asking, “Teacher, Moses said, ‘IF A MAN DIES HAVING NO CHILDREN, HIS BROTHER AS NEXT OF KIN SHALL MARRY HIS WIFE, AND RAISE UP CHILDREN FOR HIS BROTHER. Now there were seven brothers with us; and the first married and died, and having no children left his wife to his brother; so also the second, and the third, down to the seventh. Last of all, the woman died. In the resurrection, therefore, whose wife of the seven will she be? For they all had married her.’ But Jesus answered and said to them, “You are mistaken, not understanding the Scriptures nor the power of God. For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven. But regarding the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what was spoken to you by God: ‘I AM THE GOD OF ABRAHAM, AND THE GOD OF ISAAC, AND THE GOD OF JACOB’? He is not the God of the dead but of the living.” When the crowds heard this, they were astonished at His teaching. (Matthew 22:23-33)7777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777The Number Seven and the Apocrypha

The LORD God Choose the Number Seven
The LORD…created all His creatures, and divided time, from time he fixed the years, and from the years..the months, and from the months he appointed the days, and of days he appointed seven. (II Enoch 65:3)

The Seven Original and Final Elements of Man
I. Man’s flesh from the Earth
II. His Blood from the Dew
III. His Eyes from the Sun
IV. His Bones from Stone
V. His Intelligence from the swiftness of the angels and from Clouds
VI. His Veins and his Hair from the Grass of the earth
VII. His Soul from the Wind. (II Enoch 30:10)

The Seven Original Elements of Man’s Creation
1. Earth
2. Morning Dew
3. Sun
4. Stone
5. Clouds
6. Grass
7. Wind (II Enoch 30:10)The Seven Organs and Sensations of Man
I. The flesh for hearing
II. the eyes for sight
III. The soul for smelling,
IV. the veins for touching
V. the blood for taste
VI. the bones for endurance
VII. The intelligence for enjoying (II Enoch 30:11)The Seven Natures of Man
I. Listening
II. Seeing
III. Smelling
IV. Touching
V. Tasting
VI. Enduring
VII. Enjoying (II Enoch 30:11)The Seven Elements and Natures of Mankind
On the sixth day I commanded my wisdom to create man from seven consistencies: one, his flesh from the earth; two, his blood from the dew; three, his eyes from the sun; four, his bones from stone; five, his intelligence from the swiftness of the angels and from cloud; six, his veins and his hair from the grass of the earth; seven, his soul from my breath and from the wind. And I gave him seven natures: to the flesh hearing, the eyes for sight, to the soul smell, the veins for touch, the blood for taste, the bones for endurance, to the intelligence sweetness [enjoyment]. (II Enoch 30:10-11)7777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777

The Maccabee Laws

Ten Commandments
I. I am the LORD your God. You will have no other gods but Me.
II. You will not use the name of the LORD in vain.
III. You will honor the Sabbath day.
IV. You will honor your father and mother.
V. You will not kill.
VI. You will not commit adultery
VII. You will not steal.
VIII. You will not lie.
IX. You will not envy your neighbor’s wife.
X. You will not envy your neighbor’s property.